Lewisham Lover
"When his boiler breaks in January, teacher Daniel's Jamaican neighbour Beverley offers to share her warmth—and shows him South London hospitality runs hot."
Daniel's flat was freezing. January in Lewisham, no heating, landlord not answering. He sat wrapped in blankets, watching his breath fog.
A knock. His neighbour Beverley, carrying a casserole dish.
"Yuh pipes frozen? Come nuh, I made stew."
She was in her forties, thick and beautiful, that Jamaican warmth radiating from her smile.
"I don't want to impose—"
"Hush. Come."
Her flat was warm, smelling of goat curry and fresh bread. She'd lived there for years, raised two kids who'd moved out. Alone now.
"Eat," she commanded, and he did.
The curry was incredible. The rum she poured after, even better.
"Yuh too thin," she observed. "Yuh need a woman to feed yuh."
"Are you volunteering?"
Her eyes sparkled. "Maybe mi am."
The kiss happened naturally. One moment talking, next moment her full lips on his, her thick body pressing him into the couch.
"Mi been watching yuh," she murmured. "Young teacher, always alone. Is waste."
"I didn't think you'd be interested—"
"In what? Young man who need taking care of?" She pulled her top off. Those breasts were magnificent. "Is exactly mi type."
Beverley showed him what experience meant. She moved with confidence, knew exactly what she wanted, took it without apology.
"Like dat! Yes! Don't stop!"
Her thick body rode him like she'd been waiting years for exactly this. Her maturity made it better—no games, no pretense, just pure pleasure.
They moved to her bed. Then her shower. Then back to bed. The stew went cold; neither cared.
"Stay the night," she said. "Is cold in yuh flat."
"Just the night?"
She laughed, rich and warm. "We see. Maybe yuh boiler take long time to fix."
Daniel's boiler took three weeks to fix. He barely noticed.
Now he has keys to her flat. Dinner waiting most nights. Warmth of every kind.
His students notice he smiles more.
Lewisham's best-kept secret.
The teacher who learned from his neighbour.